To Ever Fall in Love
by O01-DRUMMER
Summary: No summary. I suck at them. Read and review. ;]
1. Hi, I'm Melody

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
CHAPTER ONE: My name's Melody..  
  
"Melody, don't worry. They'll love you! Trust me," a tired but still respectful voice shouted from the bedroom down the hallway. Melody and her single mother had just moved from Los Angeles. They lived in an apartment a few miles from the preparatory school, Horace Green. And this was Melody's first day.  
  
"Mother, SHUT-UP! You said that over and over again, every time we move. And eventually everyone seems to HATE me. Give it up!" A small girl down the hall shouted back to her mother. She had dark brown hair that reached her elbows, and you could barely see the dark red highlights in it. And her piercing green eyes searched the room for the Horace Green uniform. She let out a frustrated sigh.  
  
"Okay, I left it on my dresser last night. And now it just magically disappeared?" Melody growled to herself. She turned around and stared at her dresser.  
There lay the uniform, neatly in a folded pile on the top of her dresser.  
  
"LORD!" She screamed, flinging herself towards the uniform. Grabbing it, she ran to the bathroom that was in her room. Melody changed in moments. In her honest opinion, she thought the uniform was horrid and she wanted to gag. But she tried her hardest not to change into her normal, punk style. The brunette hurriedly put her straight hair up into a smooth, high ponytail, put on black eyeliner, gray eye shadow that shimmered slightly, and black mascara. Glancing at the green bathroom clock hung over the toilet, she said it read 6:25A.M.  
  
"Dammit..." Melody cursed under her breath. School started in fifteen minutes. How was she going to get there? It was at least three miles away and she didn't have a ride. And of course she couldn't walk. She glared at herself in the vanity mirror, wondering why they had to move once again, and then closed her beautiful green eyes.  
  
It's not like mother had to miss work for that creep guy anyways, Melody thought silently to herself. I'm going to be late on my first day of school and it's my mom's fault? No. Can't blame her. She has too much to handle with anyways. It would be my fault. SHIT! I gotta leave.  
  
She opened her eyes in horror and looked up at the clock again; 6:31. Melody jumped up and shuffled into her room. Grabbing her one shoulder strapped backpack with her black and red binder weighing it down. Pulling it onto her shoulder, she skid out of the room and started down the stairs.  
  
"Bye, mum!" Melody shouted up the stairs to her sleeping mother. No response. It didn't bother Melody, because she knew her mother was trying to sleep through being depressed. Shrugging off the no response, Mel shuffled though the kitchen, not minding to eat breakfast, and opened the backdoor. Closing it shut behind her, Melody started off down her sidewalk and onto the road's side.  
  
It was breezy out, especially with a skirt on. And it hurt to walk with the fancy uniform shoes on. Fortunately, she had an extra pair of Etney's in her bag. Hurrying, she switched the shoes and started running three miles to Horace Green. Melody had been in track for all the years she had moved from city to city, school to school. And she was proud she could run as fast as she could. Therefore, she would get to school in at least ten minutes.  
  
After around eight minutes of running with her backpack on her shoulder, Melody saw Horace Green Preparatory School in sight. She sighed happily, but then heard the second bell ring. Wincing, she tried to pick up speed. It was no use. Her legs were growing tired, and she collapsed in front of the school's doors.  
  
Closing her eyes, she lay on the cold cement. She heard shuffling feet around her and whispers. Melody didn't dare to move, feeling her body ache for no reason. The sounds of Horace Green's student dwindled and she just laid there for moments.  
  
"Hey, HEY." Melody heard a matured boy's voice and then felt someone shaking her gentley. She didn't want to move, so she let out a disturbed grunt. "Girl, get up. We're late for class." The voice continued. This time Melody growled loudly and turned over to look who it was.  
  
It was a blonde, spiky-haired boy with dark eyes that stared in confusion down at her. Melody stared into his eyes, meaninglessly. She didn't know what to do, but just lay there. She didn't want to get up. So, breaking the silence, she started mumbling to herself as she closed her eyes.  
  
"Mmmm...I'm late for school. But I don't want to move." Melody talked to herself whether the boy was still there or had walked away. "Why didn't I wake up my mum? I could'a got here faster..." Her voice trailed off when she opened her eyes. He was still there.  
  
"Umm, lady, are you okay? You're acting delusional...really." The boy said with a crisp, calm tone in his voice. Melody smiled, knowing he was true. She struggled to sit up, but with the help of the young man, she got to actually stand. She then noticed her elbow was bleeding, probably from it trying to break her fall. Wincing at her jello-feeling legs, she looked through the door windows. Her eyes searched for a clock. In seconds she spotted on that hung above a row of lockers; 6:58.  
  
"We're super late," Melody turned stiffy to tell the boy. He shrugged it off coolly. "Okay then...I'm in Ms.Ross's class," she said, pushing open one of the school's doors. "Could you help me find her room? Please?" She added as he followed behind.  
  
"You're in my class. Sure, I'll show you. But after this, nothing is between us." He said, now acting harsh as he found out she was in his homeroom. "Got it?" He questioned, still walking down the halls. She didn't respond or do anything, just continued following his lead to the classroom. In moments, they were in front of it. "Later," he said going into the classroom first. Before he fully closed the door, Melody spoke to him quietly but in a firm tone; "There was never anything between us. And nice to meet you, too." They both smirked.  
  
After moments of standing outside the door, Melody twisted it's doorknob and pulled open the door.  
  
"Oh, hello Melody. You're late." Ms.Ross remarked. "On your first day, too." She added, her voice was not regretting.  
  
Melody cleared her throat, trying to think of an excuse.  
  
"Sorry, ma'am. But ol' blonde spiky haired kid over there," Mel glared over to the boy she met earlier, "tripped me while I was rushing to school. I had to recover in the girls' bathroom." Melody showed Ms.Ross her scraped and bloody elbow. The teacher hissed.  
  
"You mean Freddie?" She glared over at the blonde boy. Melody nodded. "WELL, I'll get to that later. Everyone, let's welcome Melody Wicoff into Horace Green." The class clapped unenthusiastically and then the sound faded. "Melody, would you like to same anything about yourself?"  
  
Melody cleared her throat once again.  
  
"My name's Melody.." She started but was cut off by Freddie.  
  
"AND I'm Freddie Jones. Now get your punk ass to a seat so we can get on with life." Melody winced at his comment and then nodded and took a seat behind a redheaded boy.  
  
Ninth grade is going to suck ass, Melody thought to herself as she slump in her chair.  
  
Yes, it wasn't the best. And everything is probably not aligned. But I hope everyone liked it. I tried my best...so, review please. Later days. --Bridgette 


	2. That's Melody's Past

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
++  
  
CHAPTER 2:  
  
After three school periods, Melody and all the other 9th graders went to lunch. They were serving beef and bean burritos. "Grrr," Melody almost threw up once she smelled the Mexican scented food. She headed towards a table in a far corner of the cafeteria. Her head felt light and Melody felt as she might lose her balance, so she laid her head down in her arms and closed her eyes.  
  
"Hey, erm, girl." A firm voice from a young lady spoke to the half- asleep Melody. Melody's eyes opened a sliver and she looked up. It was one of the girls in her homeroom class. The one who always had her arm raised with the black, long hair and a sassy smile. "You're sitting at the special educated table...come on." The girl offered Melody to sit with her and a few others girls that had been in the home room.  
  
"I'm Summer," the black-haired girl introduced herself and smiled, seeming slightly annoyed. "This is Katie, Marta, Tomika, Alicia." Summer also introduced her friends and then added, "Oh, and another new girl down at the end, her name is Alex."  
  
Alex looked slightly like your average punk; black hair with purple streaks was up in a high, spiky ponytail, her make-up consisted of only black eyeliner, purple eye shadow, and light mascara, and she had many braclets and wristbands on her arms. Alex wasn't ever all the way in the school uniform. Her sleeve of the white shirt had been cut off and she was wearing a black long sleeve shirt under the green uniform vest. And on her legs weren't socks, but white and black stockings that went past her knees. Plus, she had rings all the way up her left ear and five rings spread out on her right ear.  
  
Alex looked up at Melody and stared. Her light blue eyes seemed to make Melody run, but Summer caught the staring.  
  
"Oh, don't worry about Alex. She's just trying to scare you. But she's cool, she's School of Rock's back-up bass." Summer stated, sitting down by Katie, with her gray lunch box in her hand. Melody smiled weakly and sat across from Alex, who looked back down at her burrito and started poking it with a fork.  
  
The other girls were gossiping while Melody and Alex were silent. It usually was someone who would start talking to Melody and she would follow- in with the conversation. But the other girls seemed to have no interest in Melody besides the fact that the had someone else sitting at their table.  
  
**  
  
After the long lunch, Melody headed back to her locked to grab things for Science and Music. She reached locker 249, turned the lock many times before she eventually opened it, and grabbed two science books and a music book. Slamming her locker shut, she headed down the hall and then found the Music Room.  
  
"Please, let this be a good class," Melody told herself under her breath. She opened the door and walked in silently. Finding a seat in the back, she looked up and saw an old lady with white hair and large glasses on. Melody raised her hand and suddenly the teacher's eyes grew big.  
  
"Well, I didn't know we were expecting a new student! Why hello, child. May I ask of your name?" The woman was British by the sound of her accent. But Melody enjoyed her high spirit and petite-ness.  
  
"I'm Melody...just call me Melody. I just recently moved here...to Horace Green. Yeah.." Her voice trailed off when everyone looked at her. She recognized many of their faces. Summer, Freddie, Marta, Tomika, Alicia, Katie, Alex, and some girls and boys who she didn't know of much.  
  
The teacher cleared her throat and got the class's attention.  
  
"Well, welcome to Horace Green, Melody! Hope you enjoy it here. I'm Mrs.Smith, your music teacher." The old woman gave a sweet smile and continued. "Do you play any instruments?" Melody's eyes widened...and she didn't answer.  
  
Melody DID play instruments, but it was drums. And she didn't think that a classical music group wouldn't appreciate a drum player. But with all her wits, she blurted out what any nervous girl would.  
  
"NoIdon't." And in seconds it was over with. Although Mrs.Smith wasn't very happy, Melody was happy with her answer.  
  
"Well, percussion is easiest. Maybe Freddie and Frankie could show you some tips and things. Maybe get their numbers..." The teacher gave an awkward, old lady wink. Melody gulped and turned her head towards the back and saw Freddie with the cymbals in his hands and a chubby boy with a strap- on drum and drumsticks. They both had death glares toward her.  
  
At that moment, Melody could of jumped out the second floor window and would of gladly died. She had already started to dislike Freddie and he felt the same way towards her. But me trying percussion, Melody thought, is something good...but bad when I'm trying it with guys who already fucking hate me. She stood up and lumbered her way towards the guy's corner of the room. Both boys were mumbling swear words under their breath. Melody really felt guilty.  
  
While the teacher told the class to read the new music book, which Melody already received, the guys talked silently among themselves. With sharp ears, Melody listened to their whole conversation.  
  
"Why do we have to have a stuck-up bitch for a pupil WE have to teach. Man, she should play something so we don't have to do anything but ignore her." Freddie complained to his friend, who nodded.  
  
"Yeah, dude, did you see her exchange stares with Alex. Both lesbos..." Frankie said in his fake cool voice. Freddie looked both excited and pissed.  
  
"First of all, I don't think she's a lesbian because Alex ain't but creeps the hell out of everyone. Second of all, I like lesbians and I don't like her. SO she ain't no les, Frank, get your head out of your sick world."  
  
"It ain't sick..it's full of porno."  
  
Melody groaned and thought to herself, Guys with raging hormones...greeeeat.  
  
The two guys looked back at her. She was sitting in a chair with her knees against her chest, head resting on her knees, arms around her legs, and rocking back and forth. For a moment, Freddie felt sorry for her for no reason at all, but that was only a moment.  
"Come on, kid. Wakey wakey..." Freddie joked, giving his friend a high- five. Melody's head went up and she stared at Freddie. Her green eyes seemed to grab into his insides and rip them up. Freddie twitched, and told Frankie that she had the same affect on his like Alex did. "Man, she's a total freak now," he mumbled. Melody's head went back down to her knees and she continued swaying back and forth.  
  
**  
  
School never seemed to end. But fortunately, when Melody least expected it, it did. And she was free to walk out of the horrid school and go home. She hated it here so far. Everyone seemed to hate her guts as well as her appearance. She wanted to go to her HOMEtown, where she was born and where she lived most of her life. Where her parents got married and where they lived happily ever after. But that seemed only life a dream now.  
  
FLASHBACK:  
  
"How could you, Derrick?! I thought you loved me...and your daughter and son. But why did you do this?" A woman's voice cried, lips quivering. It was Melody's mother, and she was talking to Melody's father.  
  
"I did — I still DO! You're just growing old and I need more in my sexual life." Derrick protested. He was packing things like clothes and accessories into a large suitcase.  
  
"DERRICK! Give it up. You're such a player. If you really loved your family you wouldn't do this to us. Don't leave us, Derrick. Please!!" Her mother screamed, tears streaming down her face. Melody's dad didn't seem to be affected by this, but was getting annoyed.  
  
Melody was 10 and her brother, John, was 15. They both had their ears up against their parents door and listened to the conversation. Melody wasn't crying, neither was her brother. But both seemed like their insides we're about to be thrown-up and slipped on by their father. The conversation continued.  
  
"EMILY, I hate this life. I need more! I'm not a giver, I'm a fucking taker. If you would notice me more you would of known that. BUT NO! You tried to be so fine and act like a real mother and try to take care of your children, but you still have a husband. If you want them, you'll get rid of me."  
  
"But I love you, Derrick! I don't want you to go. The kids are family, no one gets left behind. They mean everything to me!! So do you." Emily's words were hard to make-out. She was taking breathes, trying to calm herself down.  
  
"DID YOU EVER TELL THE KIDS THEY WERE ADOPTED?!" Melody and John's father bellowed. Then it was silent. And the children moved away from the door and went into the living room, waiting for their dad to stomp out of the door. But they waited for moments. In dead silence.  
  
SMACK. A loud noise came from the parent's room. "NOO," their mother screamed. SMACK again. An angry dad practically knocked down the room's door and stomped out of the house. Their mother was no where in sight.  
  
"What just happened?" Melody asked, her voice shaking. Her eyes were teary, but she hadn't cried in years. She didn't want to break the record. John shrugged, almost in tears too. He got up from the couch and started walking into their mother's room. There lay their mom, on the bed, head and face bloody and a gun by her side.  
  
END OF FLASHBACK  
  
The children's mother wasn't dead. She wasn't shot. She had just be bashed over the head with a gun a couple of times and then went unconscious. And that's what had happened in Melody's past. Months later, everything was fine until their mom announced that they had to move. John didn't want to. He didn't want to leave his girlfriend that he truly loved. Melody didn't want to leave her friends, she loved them like sisters.  
  
"Don't ever tell anyone you love them," Their mother had said. And they moved. They travel across 8 states and lived in Georgia.  
  
John was 17 when he grew mad from not seeing his girlfriend for so long. And one day he went suicide and it was then only Melody and her mom.  
  
**  
  
Woooooow, long chapter. I'm so extra proud of myself. WOW! I loved it. 


	3. Show Me Your Talent

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
++  
  
CHAPTER 3: Show Me Your Talent  
  
"Hey, Mel." A young lady's voice spoke behind Melody. It was a cold, quiet voice that she hadn't heard before. And then there was a tap on her shoulder and she stopped and looked at pale fingers resting on her shoulder that tapped her. She turned around. It was Alex.  
  
"Oh..hey Alex...what do you want?" Melody was in a hurry to get home. To safety. Since school was no place for a teenager to hang around, Melody tried to make Alex hurry-up on what she was going to say. "So..." Melody asked, her tone annoying. Alex grimaced.  
  
"Sorry for bothering you, but Freddie told me to give you this..." Alex pulled out a Melody's silver bracelet that had been hanging on her wrist all day. Alex dropped the bracelet in Mel's opened hands and nodded. Then she turned left and went into an alley.  
  
All Melody could do was stare down at her bracelet. It was silver with black and red charms hanging from it. On her 9th birthday her brother had given it to her as a present. And then 2 years later he had died. It was really all she had left of him. And how did it slip off her wrist? She examined it, checking if it was broken. And surely enough, the chain on it had broken from rust and now it wouldn't be able to hang around her tiny wrists.  
  
"Freddie...? Why would be oh so kind to give me back my bracelet. He isn't that convenient," Melody thought to herself as she continued walking to her house. She cradled the bracelet in her cupped hands, and stared down at it. It wasn't as shiny as it was when it was first bought. Nor it was as beautiful. Some of the red and black paint was already chipping off it. Melody pulled out a safety pin from her vest pockets and carefully placed the bracelet on her tiny wrist. She put the end together with the pin. Then she stopped walking and admired the shimmer it still had. But the same quiet voice came from behind her; "Hey, wait up."  
  
Melody turned around and saw the same Alex and her punk-self. She sighed and managed a few words to mumbled out of her mouth, "Whadda want?" Alex stared and then stood there quietly. Melody shrugged and asked her again, "What—do—you—want?" Alex then seemed to pay more attention.  
  
"OH, umm..damnit," Alex hesitated, "I forgot what I was going to say. Fuck!" She started talking to herself...more seeming like half arguing. Melody soon grew impatient and continued going home. "NO, wait, MELODY!" Alex ran up in front of Mel. "Do you really play ANYTHING? Like...anything?"  
  
Melody hesitated.  
  
"I play drums...well, I used to. But ever since we've moved last year —we move all the time— my mom made me sell my old, awesome, old...ahem!...drumset. Yeah, so I don't really play anymore. Why?"  
  
"Are you serious? I'm backup bass guitar for Katie, in School Of Rock. We're a band. It's Katie-bass; Zack Moonyham-lead guitar; Lawrence- keyboards; me-bass; Dewy, a.k.a. our teacher who's singer; Marta, Tomika, and Alicia backup singers; Summer-manager, and Freddie..." Melody cut her off.  
  
"Drums, right? Of course." Melody knew she was right by the look of Alex's face. She nodded in her satisfied intelligence. "Well, what did you really want me for? Just to let me know Freddie will find out and hate me even fucking more?!" Melody started marching off again, frustrated and discouraged. Alex let out a grunt and followed. Melody turned, a death glare was looking up at Alex. "ALEX, leave—me—A-L-O-N-E. I have my mom to get back to. Sorry, but I don't get why you want to even talk to a newcomer!"  
  
"BECAUSE YOU COULD BE A BACKUP DRUMMER, Mel!" Alex shouted with all her might. She was a very skinny girl, taller than Melody, but skinny. And it took a lot of breath to let her do that.  
  
All Melody did was smirk and pulled her hair down from the ponytail she had had in all day long. You could see the red tinted color in it, making it look original. And of course, it was. Her green eyes stared deeply into her (friend's?) eyes, making her want to lurch. She shook her head finally. "No, Allie, but my mom needs me. Sorry, I can't your offer...."  
  
Alex smiled, first time Mel ever saw, and revealed braces with silver wires and black bands. "First of all, you're the first person ever who called me Allie; which is what my," she coughed, "dead best friend used to call me. Second of all, I know you're mum. Dewy's known her since they were 4 and that's why she moved her. Third of all, Dewy called my of my cell and told me to tell you that you're welcome into the band. But don't piss the new Fred Durst off."  
  
"What about my mother? She's an alcoholic and I have to help her stop..." Melody was almost is tears, but wiped her eyes and sniffed. Alex smirked, "That's why Dewy's friend's girlfriend, Patty, is taking care of her. SO, you're coming with me."  
  
And with that, Alex dragged Melody down an alley that led out into the city. Then they headed for Dewy's apartment.  
  
**  
  
"Everyone, I would like you to meet Melody...Wicoff; our backup drummer!" Dewy introduced Melody to the School OF Rock members. They all stared at her blankily, but she kept her head down. "So, Melody, show me your talent." Dewy suggested, breaking the eerie silence.  
  
Melody headed over to the drumset back in the corner of the room where Freddie was sitting on the stool with the sticks in his hands. "Bitch," he whispered to her as he handed her the sticks and got up. She sat down and looked up at everyone. "WELL, we don't have all day!" Growled Summer. Melody blinked and stared back down at the drumset.  
  
Come on Melody; you can do this, she thought. Closing her eyes she tried to remember how it was back in her last home. When she was in a band and was the rocking drum player. Suddenly, she started off with a steady beat. Then it grew off into a pandemonium, the sound of drums growing louder and more fierce. Her eyes were closed and she didn't know what she was really doing, just trying to go-with-the-flow. And then she ended and opened her eyes.  
  
Dewy looked amazed and was discussing something with Summer. Lawrence wasn't doing anything. Zack was staring at her with his deep brown eyes, smiling. The backup singers were chattering away. Katie, leaning on the wall, gave Melody a heartful smile. And Freddie looked pissed.  
  
++  
  
Wooooow. Short chapter. Ha ha. SUCK EGGS, yeah. LAAAAAAAAter dayz. 33 BRIDGETTE 


	4. Chapter Four

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
CHAPTER 4: Staring Contest  
  
"You're in," Dewie announced after everyone was done chattering and gossiping about Melody's drumming skills. Melody stared at him in confusion. "I mean you're in the band. Like, part of School of Rock now." Dewie smiled and everyone cheered happily, but Freddie glared at Melody making her feel guilty.  
  
Feeling as guilty as she was, she spoke up; "But I'm a backup drummer, right? So I'm not full...because I won't be able to come to class always. I have my mum to take care of and so Freddie will be drumming most of the time. Right?"  
  
Freddie shot her another deathful look, but in his eyes was caring-ness.  
  
"Of course, Freddie will be fulltime drummer. But you need to make it most of the time, just in case that Freddie isn't at one of the performances." Summer explained, glancing down at her clipboard that rested in her lap while she sat on a stool by the window. Melody nodded in understanding. "Okay..." Melody let out between a sigh and a glance at Freddie, who was smiling with slight respect.  
  
"Mel, he's totally falling for you," Alex said while the band took a ten minute break. Mel was staring out the OPENed apartment window, then glared at Alex. Melody was sitting on the window ledge.  
  
"Whom are you talking about?" She asked suspiciously. Alex had an evil smile formed by her pale lips.  
  
"You know who. Fredrick..." Alex started, then cut herself off as Freddie walked into the room. Both girls grew quiet, Alex turned milk white, and Melody tried not to blush. Even though she like him, the thought of him made her want to blush ... and slightly throw-up.  
  
Freddie walked over to the drum set, picked up the sticks, and slightly started hitting a new beat. Still, the girls were quiet and Melody's attention revolved on the city street now. But Alex was watching and listening to the drums and he looked up.  
  
She blinked.  
  
"What?" Freddie asked, his voice raspy. Alex shook her head. Freddie shrugged. Both continued staring at each other. She blinked. Alex let out a frustrated grunt, stood up, and trudged out of the room.  
  
Melody looked over at Freddie for an explanation. He shrugged and went back to playing the drums. "What was that about?" Melody asked over the sound of the beat. Freddie stopped once more and looked up at her.  
  
"Staring contest...I won. She lost. She never does. I won," he bragged. Melody shook her head. And stared. Freddie stared back at her. Neither blinked.  
  
Moments seemed to pass. Both of them stared back at each other, their glances stayed there. Then Alex walked in.  
  
"BREAK'S DONE!" She shouted and went to the back of the room. Freddie looked over at her and blinked.  
  
"HA!" Melody screamed with victory.  
  
"Huh? What? Oh...damnit." Freddie had then just noticed she won. Both of their eyes were watery from not blinking. Melody blinked finally and rubbed her eyes with her hands. Everything was blurry.  
  
Then she felt herself falling. But how? Into the apartment and not feeling a quick thump? It couldn't be happening...but what was the explanation. What was happening? Then she felt someone grab her hand.  
  
"DON'T LET GO!" Cried the young man's voice. It was raspy. Her vision was now coming clearer. Everything was getting back to its usual shape. Still, she didn't know what was going on. Melody felt someone gripping her hand and she knew her feet were dangling under her. She heard worried screams from behind Freddie's voice. And then a, "SHIT. Her vision's gone bad." And a, "DAMNIT. She had no clue what's happening!"  
  
The gripping hand pulled with all its might to bring her up. The person grunted and then Melody landed hard on the apartment floor. Her head slammed against the ground. Everything was clear then she blacked out.  
  
"I know I shouldn't have let her go. It was just a stupid band practice. And see what happens, Dewie? You almost get my daughter killed! Think about it; if that young gentlemen wouldn't have been so quick-witted and didn't see her fall out a WINDOW," The frustrated voice heaved in a breath then continued shouting, "she would of DIED!"  
  
Dewie seemed small again Mrs.Wicoff. He stood there, pale but face flushed with red, outside an emergency door of Melody Wicoff.  
  
After her eyes had been messed-up with the staring contest, she lost her balance and fell. The blurry vision caused her to get dizzy; having no clue what was happening. Then once everything was clearing up, she was saved but had slammed her head against the apartment floor. And now she was, unfortunately, in the hospital emergency room.  
  
She was knocked unconscious. And went off into a deep sleep. Well, actually, more like an unconscious-deep sleep. And lay in the hospital, almost dead, for over two days.  
  
Melody woke up, with an I.V. stuck in her wrist, after two long days of lying in a cold hospital bed, dreaming of falling of an apartment over and over again. Her neck ached. And her back was stiff. And she had the worst headache you could think of. But what really bothered her was the male voice going through her head, "DON'T LET GO!"  
  
"Oh, guys! She's up!" Whispered a girl's voice. Mel's eyes looked over at the room's door. There stood the band, two ladies in white skirts and cloaks, Dewie, and her mom. Mel was mortified. She felt paranoid that everyone had been watching her sleep. Especially in a hospital gown.  
  
The visitors' hands were filled gifts and cards and balloons. Even though they didn't know her much, they still seemed to really care. She smiled and welcomed them over with the command of her hand.  
  
"We were totally worried that we might loose a back-up drummer! It was horrible..." Summer continued bickering on about how bad it was that they almost lost her. But Melody ignored her sympathy, because, well, she knew she didn't care.  
  
"That was totally scary," Piped Alex. "We could of lost you. As a drummer AND a friend." She added infactly.  
  
Everyone let Melody open her gifts and cards and tie the balloons to the end of the bed. They told her she had fallen out of the window and the whole story. "Nu-uh!" Melody gasped at the story. Had she really fallen? "But then who grabbed me?"  
  
The room went silent. Then everyone stared over to the corner of the room.  
  
There stood Freddie in his usual, slumped way. But his eyes brightened slightly as everyone's attention got to him. Melody just didn't seem to believe it. Yeah, maybe he COULD have. But would he?  
  
"What happened to me being punk ass?" Melody asked him, her voice growing cold. Freddie stood silent, then closed his eyes. He didn't respond. But Zack talked for him.  
  
"'It just happened, man. It's called instinct. What would you do if a girl were falling off a window ledge? Just sit there and watch her die?'" Zack quoted Freddie from the day before. Melody nodded in dissatisfaction.  
  
"Why doesn't it just say it to my fucking face?!" Melody screamed, sitting straight up. The ladies in white uniforms went to both of Melody's sides of the bed and starting telling her to calm her down.  
  
"Everyone out! Please, dearies, get out. She's having a fit." One of the nurses told the crowd of people around Melody's bed. She was in tears, face red, hands shaking. Of course she was having a fit. Who wouldn't who was being ignored by the most obnoxious guy they'd known.  
  
After moments of trying to inhale breathes between sobs, Melody was calm and closed her eyes. She laid her head back down on the cold pillow and then heard the nurses leave. Then was silent. Pure silent. Beautiful. Melody loved the quiet, but not to quiet. She opened one eye and saw Freddie still in the corner of the room. She let out a frightened shriek.  
  
"Mmmmm," Freddie groaned with tiredness. He moved out from the dark corner. "I've been here since 7:00 this morning. Man, lay off the crap. I'm SORRY already. Don't go off on me like this. I said I'm sorry..." He started to mumble to himself and drift towards a chair besides Mel's bed.  
  
"Ok...what time did you wake up this morning?" Melody asked, soon growing worried. He looked tired and sick. She glanced at the room's clock; 3:45 A.M.  
  
He groaned and sat down, resting his head on the bed. Melody stared down at him in a stupefied way. "Erm...what time did you get up this morning?" Melody repeated. He looked up at her.  
  
"I've been up since 4:00 this morning. Almost 24 hours, man. Almost 24 hours..." He drifted off again, resting his head now on her lap. He seemed like he didn't know anything. She didn't want to just chuck his head off her lap. She moaned with faking agony. He looked up, eyes open, and stared up at her with dark, pleasurable eyes. He shook his head and blinked. Mel growled and pushed him off the side of her bed. He caught himself before hitting the ground.  
  
"HEY! I thought you were falling for it..." The blonde boy complained. His eyes were wide open and awake. It was really 3:50 in the morning, but everyone had stayed over night. And Freddie had only been up since 8:00 at night.  
  
"You were fooling me...didn't work though. And your puppy dog eyes truly suck. You need some practice," Melody growled at him. Then she added, "Plus, what about 'punk ass'?"  
  
"What about your ass?" Freddie asked sarcastically. Melody punched him in the arm with her right fist. Then she grasped her arm with her left hand. The fist she punched Freddie with was the wrist the had the I.V. in it. "Shit!" She said under her breath as she saw that the needle had ripped her skin.  
  
In seconds a nurse walked through the door and gasped at the tare (sp?) in Mel's skin, ignoring the boy in the room. She took out the I.V. and started patching the tare with water and medicine and bandages.  
  
"Now how did ya do that, hun?" The nurse asked with a Tennessee accent. Mel glanced over at Freddie.  
  
"I accidentally reached for the T.V. remote to turn it on, but, ya know...I was too fast and BAM! it happened like that." She lied.  
  
Freddie snorted and mumbled, "Loser..."  
  
Weeee. Took longer than I expected ... I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE!! Woot. Love to all my viewers. LATER DAAAAAAYZ. --Bridgette 


	5. Chapter Five

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: Girls Can Hit  
  
Days passed by. School of Rock rolled on. Everyone knew Melody was fine, and Freddie was crushing on her badly. And after though days went by, Mel was okay and out of the hospital in no time. Everyone was happy to see her. And everyone noticed the wrap that was around her tiered flesh on her arm. Even the teachers. But on problem was still revolving around her life.  
  
Mrs.Wicoff wouldn't let her go to any band practices.  
  
"MOM. It was my fault, lady. So just let me go..." Melody begged her angry mother. Mrs.Wicoff had been awake and active ever since what happened. It was her turn to talk.  
  
"Melody, Melody, Melody. My SYMPATHY is coming out my ass, dear!" Her mother screamed sarcastically. "You're NOT going there. I don't even know why I let you go in the first place. I didn't even trust Dewie when I first met him. Ugh...no, Mel. I'm going to bed. Go to your room and do your homework or something."  
  
"Homework's done." Melody said quickly.  
  
"Watch T.V." Mrs.Wicoff suggested, shuffling to her bedroom.  
  
"Nothing's on."  
  
"Get on the computer."  
  
"Too boring."  
  
"Play basketball." Emily was growing tired and irritated.  
  
"Suck at it."  
  
"Do something you don't suck at!" Her mother shouted back at her daughter. A smile grew on Melody's lip.  
  
"Play drums in a band that at an apartment where I won't get hurt?" Melody asked.  
  
Silence.  
  
Then her mother gave her another death glaring look, went into her bedroom, and slammed the door behind her.  
  
"THANKS, mum!" Melody shouted to her mother as she practically slid down the stairs steps and out the door. It was 4:00 and band started in 20 minutes. Unfortunately, Melody forgot the way to the apartment. But FORTUNATELY, Alex was waiting outside for her.  
  
Since it was after school, they had changed from their uniforms to their normal clothes. Alex had a hot orange fitted shirt on the read: CAUTION, a pink and black plaid skirt, white and black stockings that went past her knees, a pair of black and white Chucks, and varieties of colored bracelets on her wrists. Melody, on the other hand, didn't had sorts of all colors. Red and black was her main reach. She had her black fitted shirt with a picture of a bleeding rose on the front of it, black baggy Capri's that went past her knees, black DCs, varieties of red, black, and white bracelets, and chains that hung down from her Capri's.  
  
Both girls gave each other high-fives and started walking down the sidewalk towards the downtown city. In moments they were there. They walked in total silence.  
  
"Oh, MELODY! Great to have you back. How 'yer arm there?" Dewie asked once Melody and Alex opened the door to the apartment. Melody glanced down at the gauze around her torn arm. She looked back at him and smiled, "Erm...it's fine, Dew." He nodded and let her go upstairs.  
  
Alex elbowed the band instructor in his ribs.  
  
"HI, Dewie. Nice to see you, too." She said with harsh sarcasm in her voice. He growled playfully and waved a hand at her. "Yes...hello," Alex mumbled and followed after Mel.  
  
Everyone said usual greeting's to Melody, like nothing happened. She didn't mind. At least the noticed her. Well, all besides Freddie. He was in a deep discussion with Zack. So she walked over to them and waved sympathetically, in a sarcastic way though.  
  
"Oh, hey Melody." Zack mumbled, half talking to her half talking to Freddie. The blonde boy looked very pale, an almost green. He had dark circles around his eyes from lack of sleep probably. And every now and then when Zack was talking, he would zone-out.  
  
Melody only caught pieces of the conversation.  
  
"You're ill, Freddie. Is everything...dad...okay? What have you doing? Cutting..." Zack stopped and looked sulkily up at the standing Melody. "What may I help you with, MISS?" He asked, irritated. Melody shook her nothing, "Nothing Zack. Just listening...is that okay?" Zack acted as if she hadn't of said that, "You can go along now."  
  
"Whatever, dude..." Melody said, trudging across the room to the drum set.  
  
She sat down on the stool, grabbed the wooden sticks that sat on the ground, and was about to start a steady beat. But she heard a thump across the room.  
  
Melody looked up, whiplash.  
  
Freddie's face was flushed with red. Anger could be shown through his expressions. Zack was taken back, eyes widened. His friend had knocked over the miniature table that had been discussing at. It was turned over, of course, and Freddie was standing up and staring out the apartment window.  
  
Dewie rushed upstairs.  
  
"What the hell happened?" He asked the band members. Everyone grew silent and stared over at Freddie. But Melody walked over to the table.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Dew. I—um...—tripped over the table. Heh," —she let out a nervous laugh— "me and my...stupidity. Sorry, man. Yeah..." Melody coughed and glared over at Freddie.  
  
Dewie knew she was lying but kept cool.  
  
"Sure, Mel, just be careful. But what about Freddie? What's his problem?"  
  
"Freddie's problem?" Melody asked, her voice tuning up a tone. "Erm..."  
  
Zack saved her, "He just has a really bad headache...can we skip practice today? No one's here anyway. Well besides Fred, me, Alex, Mel, and Summer. We've had a rough time lately. Please, dude?"  
  
Melody coughed fakely, and continued glaring at the back of the blonde boy's head. What was his problem?  
  
"YEAH, whatever, people. Leave. Get outta here. Laaater." Dewie grumbled and turned to his bed mattress. And flopped down on it. Seconds later he was snoring like a warthog.  
  
The School of Rock members slipped out of the room silently. Even the talkative Summer was quiet as they all walked home. But Melody had the urge to ask Freddie what was wrong. The words were almost prying her mouth open. She let out a muffled shriek. Everyone looked over at her in a befuddled way.  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Soo...how's your arm, Melody?" Zack asked, trying to break the silence easily and peacefully. Freddie winced.  
  
"Erm—still bloody, but it's healing. Very slowly." Melody answered, her voice quiet and calm.  
  
"How did you get it anyways? I know it was from the I.V. but like how did you rip your skin with the I.V.?" Summer wondered, a pondering smile forming on her face.  
  
There was a death silence besides the chirping birds and the sounds of their footsteps. Melody opened her mouth to say something, but Freddie spoke instead.  
  
"Hey guys, I need to talk to Melody. You go ahead and I'll catch up to you all later."  
  
Everyone was confused, yes, but continued walking. The brunette girl and blonde boy sat on the steps of some shut-down bakery. They sat there for what seemed like hours. Mel was afraid to say anything. Anything she said could get him pissed, angry, mad. Maybe even turn on her. So they sat there in pen-dropped silence. Then Melody squirmed in the position she was in and started feeling uncomfortable.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Freddie asked out of no where. He was staring down at the ground.  
  
"I felt uncomfortable..." Melody replied with a quiet tone.  
  
"No, what you did at Dewie's. At practice. When you told a lie."  
  
"Oh, that," she hesitated and thought for a while, "well I guess I didn't want you to get in trouble. Sounds corny but you seemed really in a bad mood. And if Dewie was going to get on you it wouldn't of been much better. So I guess that's it. Why?"  
  
Freddie looked over at her. She stared back at him; and felt as if his brown eyes were taking her, wrapping and grabbing her. Pulling her down...  
  
"It wasn't the real Melody. Plus you suck at lying and Dewie didn't believe you..."  
  
Melody stood up and cut him off.  
  
"If you're just going to accuse me of bad lying then why am I even here?!" She growled down at him. He grew silent and looked back down at the ground.  
  
"You have really nice eyes."  
  
"OH SHUT-UP!" Mel bellowed, knowing he was lying. "You suck at lying also."  
  
He looked back up at her and stood up. This was the first time that they were only 6 inches away from each other. And he was taller. They locked eyes and grew silent.  
  
"You have really nice eyes," Freddie repeated. Melody punched him in his arm. Hard.  
  
"Give it up, man. If that's your thank-you, go kiss a cow's ass." Melody smirked, but still locked eyes.  
  
"Here's a thank-you, drummer."  
  
He leaned forward. Freddie leaned forward and his and her lips touched. She shut her eyes tightly and returned the pitiful kiss. It wasn't real. She knew she was dreaming. Ugh, she though, I'm suppose to have good dreams...not nightmares. But was she pulling away? No. She wanted to kiss him. To touch his cold lips. Then she pulled away. And noticed she had his normal skin color again. And he was getting warm.  
  
"Wow," Melody had just noticed what happened, "oh my gosh...no way!" She sat down again and held her head in her hands, staring to freak-out. "What?" The boy asked.  
  
"We just kissed, FREDDIE!" She cried. He shrugged.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Yeah, I betcha are use to kissing girls. Hot shot..."  
  
"You're the most beautiful one of them all though."  
  
This time she looked up and punched him in his arm again. Even harder.  
  
"FUCK!" Freddie growled under his breath, grabbing his arm in pain. "You can hit."  
  
"Of course, girls CAN hit. I can beat guys AND drums." Her emotions changed as she checked her watch. "We need to get going. It's getting late." The sun was already half-way gone.  
  
And so both stood up and walked home. In silence, but before Melody got to her door Freddie had payback. He playfully hit her in her arm, leaving a nice bruise. But Mel didn't wince.  
  
"Later, loser." Melody said as she entered her house.  
  
I know, ya'll. I really need to get a life. SO GIVE UP TELLING ME THAT, because I know already. Yes...I'm going insane. OVER MY BOYFRIEND ... and Kevin!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XXXXD 


	6. Chapter Six

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
CHAPTER 6: Off the Edge  
  
"Whoa, dearie, hold up." Her mom sneered as Melody walked in the doorway. "What?" Melody asked, sliding her shoes off on the entry carpet. Mrs.Wicoff stared out the window, watching Freddie get smaller and smaller down the street.  
  
"What?" Melody repeated, glancing at Freddie.  
  
"Who was that?" Mrs.Wicoff asked, lumbering towards the living room couch.  
  
"Just a boy. We're just friends, mum. Don't worry..."  
  
"Don't worry? That's the same exact thing your brother had said when he first met a young lady who became his girlfriend sooner or later." Mrs.Wicoff let out a tired but frustrated sigh. "I shall worry. Don't you two fall in love, you hear me?"  
  
Melody glared at her mother and then started up the stairs to her room.  
  
"You understand?" Mrs.Wicoff shouted up the stairs.  
  
"Whatever, mum."  
  
Melody trudged to down the dark and quiet hall to her room. She opened the cold doorknob and entered her room. It was, too, quiet and dark. The kiss was still on her mind. It was making her feel strange, weird...loved. She shuddered at the thought and plopped down on her bed.  
  
Then she heard someone's footsteps walking towards her mom's room. It was her mother, probably, so Melody ignored it. And then a door shut. It was her mom. Of course.  
  
Melody lay on her bed, staring up at the white ceiling. Everything was silent. Quiet. It was a creepy silence. The one that kind of silence that seemed deadly. The brunette 14 year-old sat up in her bed. Her eyes shot towards her room's door, staring out into the blending darkness. Then her mom walked in.  
  
Melody jumped at the abrupt appearance.  
  
"Your dinner is cold...sitting on the table...eat before you grow starving." Mrs.Wicoff mumbled, half asleep. She was standing, with eyes partly closed. But she was staring out Melody's window.  
  
"Mum...you're sleep walking again," Melody stated. She got off her bed and headed towards her mother, but she began talking again.  
  
"JOHN, go eat your dinner." There was a pause as if someone else was talking to her, then she continued. "Don't starve yourself just because you're away from your dearest girly." Another pause. "NO, John, go eat."  
  
Melody was mortified. Almost afraid to wake her mom. 'Oh no,' Mel thought, 'she's dreaming about John...' Now, the young lady was almost in tears. Her mom continued. This time, it was as if it were the next day.  
  
"Why didn't you eat yesterday? You'll get a girl sooner or later." Long pause. "DON'T EVER TELL ANYONE YOU LOVE THEM!" Mrs.Wicoff was now facing Melody, as if she were John. Once again, Mel froze in her spot and closed her eyes. Then her mom smacked her.  
  
Melody gasped and jumped back from her mother. Just then her mom's eyes fully widened and stared at Melody. And she wasn't sleeping now.  
  
"MOM, you bitch." Melody screamed as she rubbed her red cheek. Her mother didn't reply, but looked sulky and was turning a white-pale. Her eyes were dark and her lips a dark purple. "Mom..." Melody waved her hands in front of Mrs.Wicoff. No reaction.  
  
"Mum, are you awake?" Melody soon grew curious. The two females stared at each other for a long time. Then Mrs.Wicoff's eye shut suddenly and she fell to the floor. Melody, quick in action, got down on her knees and checked her mother's neck for a pulse. There was a pulse, but it was at a very slow rate and getting slower by the minute.  
  
"SHIT!" Melody heaved her mum up on her bed and ran towards the phone in the corner of her room. She picked it up and dialed 9-1-1.  
  
It rang 2 times before someone answered.  
  
"Hello?" Asked the person on the other line.  
  
"Hello? Oh god, my mom was sleep walking. And then she was mumbling to herself. And then she stopped and like woke up but was silent and then she " Melody shouted into the phone, her voice in panic.  
  
"Oh dear, hunny. Who is this?"  
  
"Umm...my name?"  
  
"Yes, your name."  
  
At that second Melody had to think about her name.  
  
"My name, is..." She cursed to herself. "UGH, it's Melody Wicoff. And my mom is Emily Wicoff."  
  
"And where do you live?"  
  
"Ummm...damnit!" She had to then think of where she lived. "We live at 7225 Hickory Drive in Horace Green...yeah."  
  
"Okay, an ambulance will be over in 5 minutes."  
  
"JUST HURRY!"  
  
And with that, Melody slammed the phone down on the receiver and rushed over to her mother's side. "It's will be okay, mum." Melody said as she held back burning tears.  
  
The ambulance arrived at 7225 Hickory Drive five minutes late. Everything was hectic at that time. Melody wasn't crying, but shaking rapidly and went a ghostly pale. And her mother was literally in a deep sleep, lying on her bed. And the ambulance people were the only ones who seemed to be able to control and act like themselves.  
  
And in less than 20 minutes, Melody was sitting in a green plastic chair in the waiting room...her butt going numb.  
  
"Melody Wicoff?" A stern, young man's voice called to a brunette girl. Melody looked up from the ground, her eyes dark and tired from not sleeping. It was Dr.Smith, the Wicoff's family doctor. He was carrying a clipboard with him and a pen. And there was no expression on his face.  
  
"Is mum okay?" Melody asked, immediately standing up.  
  
He stared and said nothing.  
  
"Well?" Melody groaned.  
  
"You're mother had a heart attack..."  
  
"What the fuck! She's only 40-something. How could she have a damn heart attack at such a young age?"  
  
"Let me continue," Dr.Smith said calmly. He offered her a seat.  
  
"I'd rather stand, sir, thanks anyways."  
  
"Okay then." The gray-haired man heaved in a deep sigh and continued. "When you arrived one of the nurse asked you a few questions. Right?"  
  
"Erm, yeah. About what she was doing before she...eh, fell."  
  
"Right. And you said she was..."  
  
Melody finished his sentence, "Acting as if she were talking to John. I know. He's dead. And right before that she told me not to fall in love like mum and John did. I said yeah, sure, whatever. And then went to my room. Then she went to bed...and starting sleep talking and was standing in my doorway. Then she frickin' smacked me."  
  
"Yes, yes, yes. I know, Melody. But she was having a nightmare, you see. She was shouting and screaming at what seemed like your brother in her dream...eh, nightmare. But she was struggling, too, because she had also saw John's suicide days later. So, in shock, she just had a fatal heart attack."  
  
Melody was confused. And it was all too much for her to take.  
  
"She's not dead, though." The doctor added sympathetically.  
  
The 14 year-old sat back down and rested her head in her hands. She closed her eyes and hummed to herself. She heard the doctor walk away silently. And then everything around her seemed to follow the tune she was humming.  
  
"If we're goin' no where â¢ And we sing â¢ If it's not enough â¢ Sing without a reason â¢ To ever fall— in love." Melody was now mumbling the words to herself and heard a guitar going along with her. She didn't dare to look up and thought it was all her imagination. So she continued to say those lyrics over and over again. And when she stopped singing, the guitar rhythm continued. She looked up and saw Zack Moonyham with his guitar, smiling at her. Behind him were the rest of the band members.  
  
Mel glanced up at the hospital clock that hung up on one of the bright white walls. It read 3:34 A.M. Then she looked back over the group teens staring at her. What was she suppose to do? How did they all find out? Why were they even there? Questions buzzed in Melody's head like a rapid bee. Dewie was the first to speak.  
  
"Alex heard the ambulance down the road from her house. So she went to check it out and saw it was at your house. She called all of us and we tried real hard to get here. What happened?" Dewie was talking fast, and trying to comfort Melody. But she was uncomfortable. So her response was a shrug.  
  
"What do you mean you dunno?" Alex asked harshly. Everyone seemed tired and grumpy, but a little happy to see Mel not crying.  
  
"I mean 'I dunno.' Cuz I really dunno what happened, people. My mom just collapsed. Heart attack the doctor said. Dun care." Melody grumbled, sitting back on once of the hard plastic chairs.  
  
There was silence. And then everyone else decided to take a seat and snooze for a few moments.  
  
On the other hand Melody felt uneasy around everyone. Yes, they cared about her. But why would they care about what happened to her mom? Here Melody was, scared half to death because her mother was three-fourths dead, and she couldn't do anything. Sitting in a green, hospital chair was getting irritating. Plus, she felt concealed in a box. So she decided to leave the hospital and stand outside for awhile.  
  
Melody made her way out of the white, eerie building. The night air was crisp, but warm and breezy. The large moon was full and shown down on the earth with light. Mel sat down on a wooden bench. "Better than plastic," she mumbled to herself. She stayed out there for a while. Just staring up at the moon quietly. She felt like a terrible wretch, but couldn't cry or do anything about it.  
  
Then someone took a seat next to her. She didn't bother to look over at him or her. Didn't really matter right now. Then she felt a warm, gentle hand rub over her bare arms. She shivered and suddenly knew it was Freddie. Melody turned her head stiffly to look at the punk.  
  
"Why are you caressing my arm, Spiky?" She asked coldly.  
  
"Your skin is freezing cold. I'm making heat." He replied. She snorted.  
  
"You're such a lover boy, you know that. First you call me punk ass. Then you save my life. Then you kiss me. And you're trying to 'heat me up.'" Melody grinned mischievously and pushed his hand away. He frowned.  
  
"I'm not falling in love," He stated. Melody grew silent and her grin disappeared. She stared back out into the darkness.  
  
"I never said you were."  
  
Freddie lifted his hand and tilted Melody's chin so she was looking at her. This time she didn't do anything besides blink.  
  
"What happened before you moved here?" The blonde boy asked. And then he pulled his hand away to let her talk. And she did. Mel told him all about her parents fighting and her brother's death. And how her mom was strict about love. And what had happened that night.  
  
Freddie tried to absorb this much information. And he did in a time's worth.  
  
"So, you're almost on your own now?"  
  
"I'm so close I can almost feel as if I'm falling off the edge."  
  
Me and my DRAAAMA. Har har har. Love ya'll reviewerererers. :- Bridgette 


	7. Chapter Seven

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
SIDE NOTE: In this chapter, you might want to listen to "Spin" by the band: Revise because...um, that's what the title's called. PLUS, if I get the lyrics wrong ya'll can ya know ... . ... be evil and send in flamers. AAAAAALSO, some of this might seem kind of like not "School of Rock"-like, so just to let you know you should watch "Hangman's Curse." Awwwwwesome movie. Hott goth guy is MIIIIIINE. And so is Tom Felton and Kevin A. Clark......yeeeeeeah.  
  
CHAPTER 7: SPIN  
  
Days after the incident, Mrs.Wicoff died from shock and too less fluids in her system. And after that day, Melody stayed over at Alex's house. Huddled up in a corner of an extra bedroom, rocking back and forth, bawling her eyes out. Her mother had not given a thought about herself dying and Melody having no place to live. It happened though, and it showed that Melody's mother was too kept up in her depression.  
  
But what worried everyone was how Melody was acting. Very quiet, dark, sulky. She was never at band practices anymore. Never showed up at school on time. Acted as if everyone in the world were nothing but air. And most of all, she would argue with herself all the time; day and night. Whenever she had the chance.  
  
Alex, who's dad offered Mel to stay with them, was started to get scared of Melody. Usually in the middle of the night she could hear the brunette talk to herself. And got bits and pieces of the conversations.  
  
"She was saying something about sticks. And then she threw something. It sounded like wooden stick...drum sticks." Alex was gossiping with the band members at lunch one day. Melody was no where in sight that day.  
  
Melody was sitting on a wooden stool in Dewie's apartment in front of the drumset. She knew Dewie was subbing today for some high school teacher, so she decided to skip school and start drumming.  
  
The brunette pulled a pair of wooden drum sticks out from her red hoody pocket. She seemed to stare at the drums as if it were a challenge to see who blinked first. But, of course, she had grown crazy. Melody tried to think of a tune. A hardcore tune that she could play the drums to.  
  
"You're the hand â¢ That spends my revolver around â¢ When you pushed me away." Melody whispered to herself. It was a sound off of one of her latest CDs she had bought. Revise's "Spin." In seconds, she was beating on the drums and screaming out the lyrics to herself.  
  
"YOU'RE THE HAND â¢ THAT SPENDS MY REVOLVER AROUND â¢ WHEN YOU PUSHED ME AWAY â¢ YOU'RE THE HAND â¢ THAT SPENDS MY REVOLVED AROUND â¢ WHEN YOU PUSHED ME AWAY." Over and over the young lady hit the drums and screamed the words to herself.  
  
Sweat droplets were forming on her forehead and on the back of her neck. Her head slammed up and down to the beat. Her heart was beating faster than usual. Her breathing was rough and tired. Her eyes were shut, but tears were squeezing through under her eyelids.  
  
She went on and on for minutes. Tears were streaming down her face. The skin on her face was flushed. Melody Wicoff didn't even know what she was really doing. Everything was tearing her up inside and she couldn't take it. She stopped and through the sticks across the room. They hit a stack of boxes; making them all fall over. Mel gulped in a heave of air and let her head drop into her hands.  
  
Then the door to the apartment opened.  
  
"Melody?" Asked a familiar voice. The bawling brunette looked up for a split second and saw it was Freddie. By the look on his face he didn't seem very happy. And she regretted even looking up at him.  
  
"Melody?" He repeated.  
  
The girl's sobbing stopped and she sniffed. Wiping her eyes and cheeks off with her hoody sleeves, she got up and headed for the door. Her face was still bright red. And her heart, and breathing tried to regain their normal speed. She took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.  
  
Freddie abruptly grabbed her wrist, gently but firmly, and pulled it away. She struggled in his strong grip. It didn't hurt, but his warm skin with her freezing skin seemed to feel like burning. With her free hand, she whipped it around and smacked his around his face.  
  
He let go immediately and rubbed his cheek like Mel had did a few nights ago. Melody gasped at what she had done and regretted it.  
  
"S-s-s-sorry. I'm s-so sorry." Stuttered an upset young lady. The angry, but calm-ISH, boy glared up at her. His eyes were full of hate right there. He let out a sort of grunt and headed toward the drums.  
  
"Where's the sticks?" He demanded.  
  
She pointed over by the boxes. Freddie let out another grunt, but louder, and made his way to get the sticks. He picked then up and trudged back to the drumset.  
  
"I guess I'll b-be going." Melody suggested guiltily. The boy ignored her and started drumming the same beat that she had done only moments ago. "How'd you h-h-hear that?" Mel asked between sniffles. He looked up, but didn't stop playing.  
  
His lips were mouthing the words to the song Mel had sung only minutes ago. Then he stopped and his lips formed a weak grin. Melody sat down in a chair and stared out the apartment window.  
  
"I thought you were leaving..." The boy smirked playfully. Mel growled through her throat.  
  
"Shut-up, Jones. Get a life." The girl replied.  
  
"Why have you been like this?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like a freaking crazy psycho, man! You're fucking scaring everyone. They all think you're a freak with mental problems. And head-banging to a rock song won't help your reputation." Shouted the angry drummer.  
  
Melody acted as if she were hurt.  
  
"OH NO." She gasped. "My poor, poor reputation is dying down. Maybe soon once it dies I could go along with it. I don't belong in this world of all of ya'll. I gotta go home."  
  
"So you don't care what the hell people think of you?"  
  
"That's their opinions. Can I do anything about another person's opinion?" She paused for a second. "No. Exactly."  
  
She stood up and starting shuffling towards Freddie. He stood up also, and once again they were face-to-face.  
  
"So if I said you're a good kisser and you said you weren't, would you care?" He asked out of no where.  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"What about your life?"  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"It sucks, doesn't it?"  
  
Melody fell silent and her eyes swelled up in tears. She forced herself not to cry. And she knew he was true this time. So, for what he had said, she hit him his chest weakly. All her energy was running out and she was no longer the strong, girl puncher. Then she hit him with her other fist. And kept doing it over and over again until she was in tears and on her knees. He seemed so stoic and there was NOTHING she could do. He kneeled beside her.  
  
"Why don't you go home?"  
  
"Sorry, I have no home. I temporary move from box to box."  
  
"CUUUte..." He smirked but she grew serious.  
  
"Why didn't you let me fall?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why didn't you let me fall?" She repeated.  
  
"Didn't want you to die, ya know."  
  
"I'd rather be in Heaven than a living Hell."  
  
"Well, when I'm with you (whether you're at your high or low) I feel as if I'm always in Heaven."  
  
With that, Freddie had had it and stood up. He checked the clock and noticed that soon Dewie would be home and it would be time to start practice. He went over to the stood and sat there, staring down at Mel. The young woman looked like a wretch. Her eyes seemed to try and take him over. He stood up and she followed his lead. She had to get her balance before standing upright and before she collapsed in his arms.  
  
It just happened. Freddie was already ready for it. So he laid her down on a laid-out blanket and just stared at her.  
  
"She'll be okay..." He whispered to himself.  
  
SHORT SHORT chapter oooooor what? Yeah. LAAAAAAAAAter days, ---Bridgette 


	8. Chapter Eight

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
SIDE NOTE: I love these side note thingies! Lmao. Notice how childish I am. Okay..! This chapter is not really thought up. So bare with me!  
  
CHAPTER 8: Milky Hair and Mixed Emotions  
  
Later that day, when the rest of the band had got to practice, they all noticed Melody zoned-out on the blanket. Wondering what had happened, they all turned to Freddie for answers. All he said was that she was real stressed and miserable and she was tired. "It's not big. Stop exaggerating." Was his repeated response to almost everybody. And that was it.  
  
But they didn't believe Freddie when he said she was just tired and went out. "You did something to her. Didn't you?" Summer asked suspiciously. He shook his head and turned to Dewie, who looked at him helplessly from a seat. Freddie gave him a "get-practice-on-please" face.  
  
"COME ON, gang!" Dewie shouted over the gossiping of the teenagers. He walked over to his microphone stand and turned it on by a small switch. "Places, peoples, places," he spoke into the device, making his voice echo, "Rehearse Zack's song. The NEW song; "Crowd's Power." Yeah..." Dewie started mumbling to himself while the others went to get to their instruments or microphones.  
  
Everyone was ready when Dewie shouted, "READY?" Everyone nodded. "READY; 1-2-3-GO!"  
  
With that, a slow lead guitar rhythm started flowing throughout the room. It was followed by the bass guitar, drums, and Dewie and his guitar.  
  
'One day I wake up,  
  
Thinking of what happened yesterday  
  
And then the sound  
  
Of the breaking cup  
  
Broke my memory'  
  
Dewie broke out for a five second solo and then continued signing, followed by Lawrence and the keyboards.  
  
'Sometimes I think  
  
Like it was all a fantasy  
  
Like when it happened  
  
With you and me  
  
But this time it was real  
  
Because of how I feel  
  
When the crowd's power  
  
Was the only thing I could ...  
  
Everything was running smooth until Melody rolled over on her stomach and let out a loud, heavy sigh. It was overheard from the loud sounds of the band, even, making School of Rock stare down at her. She looked up, befuddled, at all of the blurred figures. Melody abruptly shut her open mouth and sat up. All the band (besides Alex who wasn't there) looked down at her.  
  
"Ummm...what time is it?" Melody asked sheepishly.  
  
"Almost 6:00, kid. You've been there almost an hour now. Get up and go home." Dewie said with such an irritated tone he made Melody growl.  
  
The brunette got up and caught her balance. Everything was coming back to sight now and she sat down and shook her head. Images of Freddie were running through her mind, so she glanced at him to see what he was doing. He was just sitting on the drum stool, staring over at her, emotionless. Her glance attention went back to the band.  
  
She regretted it though, because the other band members became even more suspicious.  
  
"Hey Dew, go easy on the girl. She needs rest." Tomika suggested with her sweet voice. It was a truly nice comment, but Mel protested and shook her head no.  
  
"I'm fine, really. Weird thoughts running through my mind though. I'm really okay, though, really. I am." She hesitated and then continued. "I actually feel better. In a good way." She smiled for the first time in weeks, making everyone feel more confident that it wasn't Freddie's fault.  
  
"Okay then, chick. If anything is wrong, tell us." Dewie stated and Melody. Then his attention swayed over to Freddie. "Hey man, sorry for accusing you and all. And, uh, do you mind if Mel practices the drums on the song?" Freddie shrugged and swapped spots with Melody.  
  
"Same song, "Crowd's Power." READY?!" He asked; the band nodded and prepped their instruments. Melody was ready to start banging on the drums and jamming. "READY, 1-2-3-GO!"  
  
And the song started over. Melody seemed as if she were having a blast. She was smiling and getting into the song. Freddie even thought he saw her laugh for a second. All this was such a change for Freddie. He was use to the depressed, bawling Melody for weeks. Now she acting as if she were better than ever.  
  
After practice Melody walked home with Zack since Freddie had to right to his younger sister's choir recital. Freddie hadn't talked to Melody at all at practice. And Mel and Zack thought it strange how Freddie seemed to avoid Melody especially.  
  
"Do you remember anything that happened? Before you passed-out? I'm sure Spazzy remembers; he was so quiet and looked like he had something on his mind. And everyone thought he did somethin' to you." Zack caught his breath then continued. "Anything happen between you two?"  
  
Melody shook her head in confusion.  
  
"All I remember was a something REALLY sweet that he told me. I think I now feel like someone cares about me. So," Melody smiled shyly, "I guess that's why I feel better now."  
  
"Wad he say?" Zack asked, needing to know things about his bestfriend.  
  
"Well I said my life was a living hell. He said, 'Well, whenever I'm with you I feel like I'm in Heaven.'" And I guess I just blacked-out after that. It was weird, because he kinda like saved me from my little "dark" place."  
  
"Wooooow. Sweet Spazzy McGee? And he gave you the name Punk-Ass...weird."  
  
"Well, I'm Punk-Ass and he's Spazzy McGee. I could call him Sassy McDonald." Both laughed at her joke. "Of course, I'm not THAT cruel. Well, not yet anyways."  
  
By this time, they had arrived at Alex's house where Mel was going to stay again. Melody and Zack said their good-byes. The young lady entered the house and shouted, "Hey everyone! I'm home!" Alex came around a corner and saw Melody without tears. Both smiled and Melody told Alex the whole story. Since she kept her the rest of the conversation with Freddie from Zack, she told it to Alex.  
  
"Awww, so sweet. But he avoided you afterwards?" Alex asked, having a happy but confused feeling in her voice.  
  
"I think he didn't really realize what he had told me. PLUS, he knows he did make he feel a whole hell better than back 'then.'" Melody smiled and Alex gave her a bear hug.  
  
"I'm glad you're back to your normal self. It's awesome." Alex commented.  
  
"Me too, me too." Melody said. Both headed up to their rooms to go to bed. The next day they had school and it would be a long day for Melody, since she had tons of work needed to be done.  
  
The next few days Melody was busy with tons of 9th grade work. She sometimes had to bring homework to band practice and finish it before School of Rock started. And Mel never had any time to hang out after practice or school with her friends. But she needed to keep her grade up.  
  
"Okay, Mel, you have nothing left to do...right?" asked Alex, fully dressed in school uniform at lunch one day. The teachers were fed up with the extra style in her wear and told her to where the uniform properly or she'd get expelled. The same went for Melody. Both followed their teachers orders.  
  
"Actually, no, I don't. But I like need to really talk to Freddie." Melody replied, poking and prodding her contaminated taco with a straw. Alex growled and glared over two tables to where Freddie was sitting with Zack and more boys.  
  
"WHY?!" Alex hissed angrily. "Freddie and you ain't together...so why are you making such a big deal out of him avoiding you?"  
  
"Well," Melody snapped, "at least he's the guy I feel most comfortable around." She hesitated and then added, "Did I say guy? Oh, I meant the ONLY human I feel comfortable around!"  
  
"How bout you stop being so freaking dramatic and trying to get attention. You need to grow up, Mel!"  
  
"Sorry, but I was never taught properly to 'grow up.'"  
  
Melody knew she was being dramatic and acting like a kindergardener. She stood up, opened her small milk carton, and dumped it over Alex's head. Alex let out an angry and cold shriek, stood up, and gawked at Melody. The milk made her hair look like a soaking mop. And now the whole cafeteria stared at the two girls in silence.  
  
Summer tugged at Mel's arm and hissed, "SIT! You're going to get in trouble —"  
  
"Get the hell off me, Summer!" Melody growled, pulling her arm away. She took one more glance at Alex, took her tray, and headed towards the trash. She slammed the tray of barely-eaten food into the trash barrel and headed to her locker.  
  
The angry brunette walked indignantly down the main hall towards her locker. She hurriedly turned and twisted the lock and pulled it open. Inside we were backpack, a few school books, and binder. She grabbed her music book and binder then shut the locker door shut with a light tap. Then she continued down the hall and took a sharp left, running into Freddie. She jumped back and let out a frightened sigh.  
  
"I wasn't expecting you, Freddie. Sorry," Melody mumbled to him, staring at the school floor. He nodded and looked at his watch.  
  
"Lunch isn't even half over with yet," he stated. The girl looked up at him and shrugged.  
  
"I guess I wasn't hungry." Melody shrugged once again. She walked around him and started heading for them music room. But Freddie caught up, grabbed her shoulder, and turned her around easily.  
  
"What's up with you and Alex?"  
  
Melody stared up at Freddie with her green-blue eyes. She felt small and helpless around him. But then again, it felt as if he was calming her down. She blinked. Seconds later he blinked. And this continued forever, until the bell rang.  
  
"Time for class. Later," Melody said, snapping out of her trance. Freddie let go of her shoulder and she went off to music class.  
  
Freddie said nothing to either Mel or Alex at music. Both girls were sitting at opposite sides of the room, silent with anxiety. Freddie knew that both girls were upset at what had happened, but he couldn't do anything. He tried to talk to Alex, but she was still exaggerating over her soppy hair. And Melody sat by her drums, spinning the sticks with her fingers, having a pondering look on her face. 


	9. Chapter Nine

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
SIDE NOTE: It's not pepperoni...it's SALOMI!! Yesh...my past school has been tricking us with fake pepperoni. Shame, shame, shame.  
  
CHAPTER 9: Band Prrrrractice  
  
After school that day was band practice. So Melody walked alone to Dewie's apartment, with a brand new pair of drumsticks and her schoolwork. She hadn't seen Alex since 3rd period back at school. And Mel didn't think that she was going to practice. And all this thinking made her remember that she lived in Alex's house. The brunette growled and slammed the door open to Dewie's apartment.  
  
The lights were off and it seemed like another day that Dewie was out and she was going to be the first one there. Melody headed up the stairs and to a door. It had a note taped on it with Dewie's handwriting. It looked sloppy, but she was able to read it.  
  
Hey Kids,  
  
I have another hot date with some new girl this time.  
  
ï. So today's practice can be anything. You peoples can just  
  
hang-out or practice. Do whatever. Just don't let me come  
  
home with you all drunk, groaning tiredly on the floor. Ok?  
  
Sounds like a deal to me. Later.  
  
Dewwwwwwwie  
  
Melody shook her head in dissatisfaction and pushed open the door. The room light was on, but she didn't see anyone. "Dewie musta left it on," she mumbled to herself. The back-up drummer put her schoolwork on a chair and headed over to the drums. When she sat down, she heard someone walk in. She looked up and it was Summer and Katie.  
  
"You're earlier than usual," Melody pointed out. Both girls were panting and breathing heavily. The leaned against the wall and let out a deep sigh at the same time.  
  
"We — ran — all the way — here," Summer said in between breathes. Melody asked why.  
  
"We wanted to — be the first ones — here to talk to — Dewie," Katie let out another heavy sigh. This time she said things clearer, "But he isn't."  
  
"What's so urgent?" Melody wondered, leaning back in the school and being caught by the wall.  
  
"When the rest of the band gets here, I'll tell you." Summer said tiredly. Both her and Katie made their way to another room that was supposed to be Summer's office. And then it grew silent again.  
  
The rest of School of Rock made there way into the apartment, each reading the note. Most of them didn't care, besides Summer and Katie. The two girls had something they had to tell Dewie AND the band. But Dewie ruined this since he had another hot date. But Summer told everyone to sit down anyways and she would tell them the good news.  
  
"Sit down everyone, and I'll tell you the good news." Summer addressed, walking out of her office with Katie on her tail. The band members sat down on whatever or wherever they could and listened. "About a month before Melody had come here, we all tried out for the Battle of the Bands. Right? Everyone remember?" All nodded besides Mel. "Well, I got a call on my celephone today and we're in!"  
  
Suddenly an uproar of noise came from the teenagers as they screamed and cheered and whistled. Melody had no clue what was happening, but she joined them. Summer smiled widely and shook her head in nonsense. She raised both hands and pulled them down slowly. The room grew once again quiet.  
  
"I'll leave a note to Dewie before I leave. So he'll know. And he could call Summer for more info." Katie announced. She hurriedly pulled out a small notepad and pen and started scribbling a quick note to Dewie. "Done." She thought out loud.  
  
The practice was more of a debating session. Everyone wondered what song they would perform and the lighting and special effects and costumes and everything else. Billy suggested they wore the same costumes they always had worn. Summer said no and that they were too out-of-style. Gordon suggested they he would make new and improved effects on his laptop and it depended on the song for the lighting. Summer told him he had to get her approval with the effects and lighting a week before the show. But no one suggested a song.  
  
"What about the song?" Melody asked, still acting like an official group member. She was...but she was a back-up. Summer's attention was now on Mel.  
  
"What do you have in mind?" The manager asked simply. The back-up shrugged and replied, "I have nothing on my mind."  
  
"Has Zack come up with anything new?" Katie wondered, acting as if she had the right idea. Zack was zoning out into space, his eyes with a glossy texture. He shook out of his trance and blinked. The boy shook his head.  
  
Melody knew this wasn't good. The only band members that knew how to write songs were Dewie and Zack; both unavailable at the moment. Plus they wouldn't have practice next until a week since it was Spring Break and everybody was going somewhere. The Battle of the Bands would be in the end of May and they only had about a month and a half to practice. And they didn't know anything yet.  
  
Summer shuffled into her office with Katie behind her, closing the door firmly. The rest of the band leaned against the door and listened as Summer called Dewie on her intercom so Katie could listen too.  
  
The phone rung several times before Dewie answer. His voice was scratchy from the cellphone he was using. Dewie didn't want his date to wait, so he sounded like he was in a hurry.  
  
"Hullo? Oh hello Summer and Katie," The raspy voice spoke through the phone.  
  
"Hello Dewie. I'm glad you picked up your phone. I have important business to discuss with you." Summer informed him.  
  
"I'm busy though, girls! Can't it wait?"  
  
"Do you want to know about the B.o.t.B. or what?" Katie asked him anxiously.  
  
"Battle of the Bands?" Dewie wondered, his voice lifting.  
  
"Yes, the B.o.t.B." Summer explained to him that they had been accepted and that they only had a few weeks to practice.  
  
"Dew, we have nothing. No songs. No costumes. Lights. Effects. Nothing." Katie told him with a bit of concern in her tone.  
  
Freddie chuckled, "First time in her life has she ever been concerned for some other people." The band snickered quietly behind the door.  
  
"This is really bad for me," Katie continued, "I mean it's really bad for us."  
  
"Sorry, Freddrick, you were wrrrong." Alicia and Marta squealed. Freddie smirked and continued to listen.  
  
"Sorry, girls, I can't do anything write now. You're on your own until I get back from this date. Cancel practice tonight. Nothing's going to happen. I swear." The lead singer tried to convince them, but the girls kept protesting. He finally gave in and hung up.  
  
Summer the opened the door to her office. The band tumbled on top of her and she growled, pushing them off. But Melody had her quick moment. She had fallen beside Summer with Freddie ACCIDENTALLY pinning her to the ground. He didn't look so innocent, but he didn't look so guilty either.  
  
The band manager wondered what was going on. Tomika explained about then listening. Everyone in the band seemed worried that Dewie HAD to be with his date. Eachother were helping one another to get up off the ground. Freddie and Melody were the last to get up.  
  
"Er...sorry 'bout that," Melody apologized to the blonde boy. He looked at her with a puzzled look on his face. "I could of moved and wouldn't of had to break your fall." The blonde shook his head and laughed quietly. He moved close to Mel and whispered in her ear, "I'm glad YOU broke my fall 'stead of Summer." Melody blushed and moved back into the practice room.  
  
Summer told them that she didn't have a clue on what was going to happen. She didn't know of any song that they could use, or the rest of the worries.  
  
"What about the song that I woke up to? Remember?" Melody hummed the tune of the song that she had woken up to at a few practices ago. Then the back-up singers starting following her lead. While the brunette still hummed, she headed for the drums and did the steady beat. Most of the boys were lip syncing the words. Katie strapped on her bass and followed the song.  
  
'Sometimes I think  
  
Like it was all a fantasy  
  
Like when it happened  
  
With you and me  
  
But this time it was real  
  
Because of how I feel  
  
When the crowd's power  
  
Was the only thing I could reveal  
  
Then it ended in seconds later.  
  
"Now do you rem-..." Melody started to ask Summer, but the manager nodded before she could finish.  
  
"Yes, I remember. Well...I guess we'll do that song. Gordon, get to work on the lighting and effects. Billy...talk to the groupies about costumes. And the rest of you practice the song...OVER and OVER again." Summer nodded with satisfaction.  
  
Melody got up and told Freddie to drum. "Why can't you?" He asked.  
  
"Because you need practice. And I don't want to right now." Melody smirked sarcastically and sat on a beenie-bag (sp?).  
  
So the band practiced the song several times. Freddie and Melody alternated with the drums. Everything was coming together well. Everyone had the rhythm and notes down. And when Dewie would come back, they would blow him away.  
  
It was around 10' o'clock when the whole practice ended. The tired and exhausted teens shuffled home in groups. Tomika, Marta, and Alicia tiredly gossiped about how much fun they were going to have. Summer, Katie, Billy, and Gordon walked shoulder-to-shoulder with their heads hanging down, whispering quietly amongst one another. Zack, and Freddie were making jokes on everything; including self-centered Katie.  
  
"What is she going to do when she gets married?" Zack wondered sarcastically. "Can you even imagine her having a husband? Wake up, dude. She won't get married," Freddie replied.  
  
The last groups were Alex and Melody. Both of them walked home alone that night. They both refused to talk to one another. Marta even tried to work it out between them. earlier at one of the practice's breaks. But she seemed to make it even worse.  
  
"Why are you even mad at her?" Marta questioned Alex. Melody and Alex were back-to-back and about 5' feet apart from eachother. Alex grunted and glared over her shoulder at the back of Mel's head. Then her glare glided over to Freddie. She then looked away.  
  
"That girl has gone head-over-heels in love with Freddrick Jones. She never has time for anything or anyone else now. Plus," Alex spoke louder so Mel and Freddie could hear her, "he doesn't even like the whore."  
  
Melody whipped around and was about to go Alex when Marta stepped between them. The blonde back-up singer was an inch or so shorter than Melody, but she was still tough enough to make her not attack. Freddie then got up at this point and walked over there. Melody's focus was still on Alex and she paid no attention to either Freddie or Marta.  
  
"I never said he fucking liked me, Alli. Plus, I'll never fall in love. Hope you don't either. But seems like you're falling for him too. If Freddie wouldn't like me, he wouldn't like you." Melody paused and gave Freddie a fake smile. He shruddered. The girl continued on talking, "And I don't give a crap if he don't like me. My life doesn't need to be perfect."  
  
"Oh really?" Alex turned around stiffly and glanced at Freddie. "Your life seems perfect. I've let you live in my home..."  
  
"Your dad let me live," Mel corrected her. Alex shrugged and continued.  
  
"And you are perfect at drumming, guys like you, and Dewie seems interested in you even. Which is sick, but still. Older guys liking you? Perfect."  
  
Melody scoffed and then laughed childishly, "Dewie ain't 'interested' on a 14 year-old girl. He's...in his 20's? Sick, Al, sick. You thinking like that? You're the one that's the whore."  
  
With that comment, Alex elbowed Marta out of her way and slammed a fist right at Melody's face. The brunette ducked, and kicked Alex hard in her shin. Alex fell backwards on her butt, and grabbed her shin in pain. Mel growled, got up, and headed for the bathroom. When she got there, she had closed the door behind her and hid in the shower.  
  
Now, both girls were walking separately home. Alex headed home while Melody followed Tomika, Alicia, and Marta. Freddie caught up to Mel and told her she had passed Al's house 10 minutes back. The girl shrugged and stopped to look at Freddie. It was a couple of minutes and then she blinked and continued. Mel didn't exactly know where she was going. She was going to ask to stay at Marta's house, but shook her head and continued walking.  
  
It was about an hour after practice and Mel stopped at a Seven/Eleven place. It had the lights on so she thought it was still open. She grabbed the door and pulled; it was locked. Melody groaned, her stomach growled. The girl knocked sympathetically on the glass door. She saw a shadow moving behind the counter. She knocked on the door harder. No one answered. Her back against the door, she slid to a sitting position. Pulling her hood over her head, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. 


	10. Chapter Ten

"To Ever Fall in Love"  
  
Written by Bridgette Marie  
  
I don't own anything; besides my new characters. Plus, this is my first fanfic ever and so no flamers...yeah.  
  
SIDE NOTE: I haven't written anything in the last month. Pickle. SO, I'll try to make this chapter really long. Later...leave feedback.  
  
CHAPTER 10: Seven/Eleven House  
  
"Hey, um, doll?" A woman's Jersey-accent voice asked the half-conscious Melody. Melody opened her eyes a sliver and saw, with the streetlight's shine, a woman in her early twenty's with tight red curls and emerald green eyes. The woman wore a green and white striped fitted tee, tight jeans, and bright blue flip-flops. She shook her hair out of her eyes, making her silver loop earrings dangle and asked, "You awake?"  
  
Melody shook her head from her drowsiness, pulled down her hood, and stood up. She lead out a quiet "yes" and stood there. Mel didn't know what to do. She didn't feel like going over to Alex's and sleeping. And she didn't have any money for any motels around here. So the brunette stood in silence, staring down at the pavement leading to the glass door.  
  
"You gonna go home, chick?" The redhead asked impatiently. Melody didn't answer, but look up at the small store/market in fake interest.  
  
The place seemed to have a slanted roof with gray and white shingles plastered on it, like a house roof. It was the first Seven/Eleven Mel had ever seen with shingles. She then noticed the store was quite taller and larger than usual ones. Her curiosity made her exchange a confused look over at the woman.  
  
"If you must know, hun, it's two stories." The redhead told her in a pained and irritated tone. "My dad, who's dead by the way, made this with two stories. Since he was poor and all and couldn't by his damn fam' a house or even apartment. So he made this. Yup," she sighed sarcastically, but Mel could see she was trying to look brave, "he's dead. So is my mum. But, I mean, my broth'r and adopted sist'r still lives. He's upstairs right now. Oh, and I live here too, ya know? I was just coming to see who was banging on the door."  
  
"Er, sorry 'bout that." Melody said sheepishly. She smiled weakly and stared back down at the ground.  
  
The redhead let out an annoyed grunt and asked behind gritted teeth, "Aren't you suppose to be home? You seem under 18," she glanced at her silver watch dangling on her wrist, "and you're 48 minutes past curfew 'round here. You going to go home or what?"  
  
Melody let out a muffled "tsk" from behind her hands in her hoodie. She nodded sympathetically and walked around the woman, heading for the dark street road. Seconds later she heard a sorry "ugh" from behind her.  
  
"Come back her, child!" The redhead commanded in frustration. Melody stopped for a second and smiled to herself. She wiped the smile away and turned around, heading back to the Seven/Eleven. "Where do you live? I can drive you there in 'few minutes," the redhead suggested.  
  
"Right now, I don't really live with anyone. My neighbors have custody of me, but their daughter's a screwn-up whore who thinks the world is revolving around her. So I don't want to go there." Melody said. Her face grew hot from anger, but she kept her tone down to normal.  
  
"So you don't have any place to live right now, do ya?" The redhead asked with sarcastic interest. Melody nodded and smiled weakly.  
  
The woman's temper seemed to of cooled down. She seemed a bit softer and sweeter. There were minutes of silence. Both girls were standing outside the store, staring through it's glass door; the place still had it's lights on. Melody then noticed the redhead's reflection; the woman now had a total dreamy look on her face. Mel turned to look at her and the lady who then blinked and smiled down at the brunette.  
  
"I bet you could do some work 'round here, you know?" The redhead suggested with a cheery tone in her voice. "I mean, Matt and Savanna help around. But this is a pretty good sized place and," she smiled slyly, "there's an extra bedroom upstairs. It could be yours, child."  
  
Melody gaped in total happiness. "Are you kidding? Oh my gosh, I'd love to live here!" Melody wrapped her arms around the redhead and gave her a tight bear-hug. When she released her grip, the woman was slightly gasping for air. Melody winced, but then continued, "I'll do extra work, ma'am. I'll do anything!"  
  
"Okay then, kid. It's yours. Just, please, no more hugs." The woman shuddered as Mel was about to squeeze her into another hug. Melody blushed, nodded in understanding, and retreated. "Oh and please call me Annie, no ma'am...it makes me sound so old." The redhead nodded  
  
"OH, I forgot to introduce myself too." Melody put out a hand, which was a sign for Annie to shake it, "I'm Melody. Just call me Mel." But Annie didn't shake it, she just nodded and stared walking to the back of the store. Melody followed her in silence.  
  
"We'll get your things in the mornin', kid. Your room is pretty big enough for like...something big. There's already a full-size bed, vanity-like-table thing, a closet with a dresser inside it, and a bedside table. It's a 30 by 40-something foot bedroom. You got something like a mini trampoline or somethin'?" Annie asked, pulling afew keys from her pocket that jingled as she unlocked the back door.  
  
"Erm, no, actually I'm afraid of trampolines." Melody let out a feeble laugh, then continued. "I have a drumset that's taken apart right now. At my neighbors house. It hasn't been up since my mum died...like a month ago." Melody then became silent and cut off that subject, and Annie got the clue.  
  
"Matt has a bass guitar in his room. Savanna and me share a master bedroom. Umm," she pulled the door opened and let Melody in. Then shut it quietly and continued, "Our kitchen and living and bathroom is downstairs." She lead Melody down a set of stairs from behind a door at the back of the store. "Which is nice and cozy, unlike most other basements." She added as she noticed the slightly worried expression on Mel's face.  
  
Both ladies headed into a kitchen, which seemed to have been themed with black and white. Then Annie lead Mel into a room, supposed to be the living it. It contained a peach theme with an Oakwood coffee table between a television and a tan couch, and a Oakwood desk that had a nice size computer on it. There were no windows in the room, but a ceiling light that had a fan with it and also a tan light in the corner of the room by the computer gave off a bright shine. Melody saw that the television was set to VH1, but she saw no one watching it.  
  
"Do you want me to...?" Mel started quietly, nodding over to the television. Annie shook her head and the clapped her hands loudly. There was a girlish squeal from in front of the couch and then a young man's voice whispering, "Shut-up, you twit!" Annie smirked down at Melody and walked over to the couch.  
  
"I though you two would still be up...watching television I see?" Annie asked over the couch, staring down at what seemed to be the cushions. Then Melody saw an Asian-looking girl with waste length black hair and brown eyes stand up with a guilty expression across her face. She was staring up at Annie and then glanced over at Melody in utter confusion. Then a guy's head popped up from in front of the couch also. He looked more like Annie, with the emerald green eyes and bright red hair that was flared out in different directions.  
  
"A-HEM!" Annie cleared her throat and the two of them looked back at her. "This is Melody," she beckoned Mel to walk over to them. Melody took quiet steps toward them, watching her torn pants slightly drag on the floor. She then looked up at Annie and smiled weakly. "This is Matt, who's 16," —the boy corrected her and said 17— "and that's Savanna, who's turning 10 next month." Both the kids nodded and grimaced at their older sister as Melody continued to stare at the ground.  
  
"WELL!" Annie growled impatiently, making all of them jump slightly. "Savanna, please show Mel the phone so she can call her former guardians." Melody gawked in horror as the little girl headed out of the room, pulling Mel by her wrist. As soon as Matt heard footsteps above him, he let out a noise between a snort and a terrified mouse squeak.  
  
"Who, may I ask, was that?" Matt asked, his green eyes turning slighter darker. He ripped off the blanket her had be covered-up with, revealing the same large hoodie Melody had been wearing. It had 'DC' printed on it in white letters and a large pocket on the front of it. He stood up and showed her. Annie blurt out a tight laugh and turned bright pink.  
  
"So, you two have the same style? What do ya call it? Erm, skater?" Annie tried to hold in another laugh, having to cover her mouth with her hand.  
  
"Whatever, Ann. You just picked her up off the street? Like she was a stray cat or somethin'?" Matt wondered with a pure wicked tone in his voice.  
  
Melody had just got off the phone with Alex's father, and she told him she'd give him the key to their house and that she'd pack on stuff in the morning. Him and his wife understood completely, but Alex had a fit over her. While she was on the phone, she could hear Alex screaming swear words at Mel from two rooms away. After Mel hung up, she looked down at Savanna.  
  
They were both behind the counter of the store. The lights were still on but there was a sign in the window that said CLOSED on it. Melody uttered a stupid and faint laugh and thought, 'I didn't see that...'  
  
Savanna then suddenly laid down on the floor, when she heard Matt and Annie talking. The 10 year-old let out a sigh and stood back up, "Matt doesn't seem to like you. I don't know why, you seem pretty cool." She grabbed Melody's hand and headed back to the basement. Both girls stopped in the kitchen to listen to Matt's and Annie's conversation.  
  
"I didn't just pick her up off the street, Matt! I know who she is. Your cousin, Marta, they're in School of Rock together. Remember what Marta said 'bout her?" Annie sounded really sympathetic. There was silence and then Matt shook his head. "Her dad left her and her brother and mom when she was younger. Then her brother went suicide. Then her mom just died! Now she lives with her neighbors...she needs to get away from everything and just live life."  
  
"Too bad you're saying that for her, Miss Generous! I'm really surprised you ain't going to sound so sympathetic for our side of our life story! LORD! I don't give a damn if a stray cat lives in our so called home. But you better stray some Flea-Be-Gone on that cat or she's outta here!" Matt turned off the t.v. and then started to head for the kitchen and Savanna pulled Melody into a door, closing it quietly behind her. It was the bathroom; it's theme was like the kitchen, black and white.  
  
After a few minutes, the two girls heard Annie head through the kitchen after Matt. "It's safe," Savanna said with a hint of shame in her voice. She pushed the bathroom door open and tip-toed into the living room, with Melody behind her. Both girls sat on the couch, staring at the blank television. Melody leaned up against the arm rest and blinked over at Savanna.  
  
"They've been like that — fighting, I mean." Savanna broke the silence.  
  
"Ever since our dad left us, 2 years ago. Since Annie was 21, he told her that she could raise her siblings. He was just too stressed with three kids and not much money. He gave us his old banking account, which had about $7,000 in it. And when I was only two, our mom moved out because her and dad got a divorce. Yeah. Both Ann and Matt have really bad tempers. But, they're always that bad though."  
  
Melody nodded in understanding and felt like she was going to fit in here. She even thought of the place as "home" already. She reached for the t.v. remote and turned it back on to VH1. They were showing alternative music videos. In moments, both of the girls had fallen asleep on the couch with the music video "Last Train Home" by Lost Prophets.  
  
Melody woke up to someone shaking her arm and forcing her to wake up. Mel opened her eyes and saw Savanna staring down at her behind blue framed glasses. Savanna blinked and gave Mel a grimacing look. "Get up," was all Savanna said before she swept into the kitchen and leaped up the stairs.  
  
Melody didn't know what was going on. She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to catch her balance when she stood. She started around the living room and remembered why she was here. Mel smiled weakly to herself and started towards the black and white kitchen. That's when she saw Matt was sitting at the computer chair, watching her with no interest. She shuddered and continued to the floor above her.  
  
"Your neighbor called, the dad. They said that they're awake and that Alex cleaned you old room for you." Annie said at once when Melody came from the basement. Mel grew slightly pink, feeling slightly guilty that Alex had cleaned her messy room. But she gulped quietly and nodded. "I'll drive you there in a few minutes, once Matt comes up here," Annie continued. She walked over to the basement door, and opened it, "MA — oh, run the store while I take her to get her things." Matt and Annie had almost walked into each other when Ann was going to call down to him.  
  
Matt nodded sulkily and glanced over at Melody with much dislike. "Flea spray," he muttered under his breath. Melody pulled up her hood casually like she heard nothing. Then Annie lead the way out of the store, leaving Savanna standing behind the counter by a slushie machine, which was making a squirting noise and Matt by the cash register.  
  
Melody hurriedly grabbed her black duffle bag and packed all her clothes, accessories, and CDs. She plopped it down on her bed. She then went over to her broken-up drum set, that was in a large box, and set that steadily on her bed. The last things she grabbed was her pillow, a picture frame with her and the band, and a pair of Converses that were black and white.  
  
Annie was waiting in the door way, flipping her hair over her shoulder impatiently every now and then. Once she saw that Melody was ready, she lifted the large box and followed Melody who had everything else. They went down a flight of stairs and then through the entrance room and then out to the front yard. They packed the luggage into the trunk of Annie's SUV.  
  
"Visit some time, Mel. Okay? We could get..." Alex's father started, but Alex cut him off by a deadly look. He then just waved Melody good-bye.  
  
"Come on, Mel. I'll show you your room upstairs." Savanna said, carrying Melody's duffle bag, shoes, picture frame, and pillow while Melody heaved the box up a pair of stairs she hadn't encountered yet. They led up to a hallway with 4 doors. Savanna walked all the way to the last one and kicked it open with little force.  
  
The room seemed like it was in good shape. The walls were painted white and the carpet was a deep red. In one corner of the room was a full size bed with white covers and a matching pillow. Beside the bed was a black table with a lamp on it. Beside that was a dresser. And in another corner was a vanity-thing that was beside a door, which was supposed to lead to the closet. There was a shelf, above the vanity, that held up a 25 by 25 inch television. Beside it, on the shelf, was a radio/CD player/And finally, there was one free corner for Melody's drumset.  
  
"Damn, I mean dang," Melody said, seeing the look that Savanna gave her, "this is the biggest room I've EVER had. It's, um, nice. Really." Her amazement didn't seem to change anything. She set the drum set box in the open corner and just told Savanna to see the stuff on the bed.  
  
"I'm going to go help downstairs. Make yourself home," Savanna said as she left the room.  
  
Melody unloaded her clothes and stuffed them in the small dresser. She then put her make-up and hair accessories in the vanity drawers. All of her CDs were put in a draw in the bedside table. And her picture of the School of Rock was set on the bedside table also. Mel stuffed the duffle bag under the bed and looked around the room. She smiled and headed downstairs to see what she could do to earn money. 


End file.
